Intel Creates Research Group Dedicated To Improving Security Of Our ‘Connected’ Cars

As our vehicles continue to become more “connected”, the risk of exploitation grows ever greater. While such concerns are paramount for autonomous vehicles, Wired proved this past summer that our ordinary vehicles are at risk, too. Simply put, we can’t put much faith in the safety of our vehicles if automakers are failing at their job of protecting us.

That’s something Intel wants to improve, so it’s established the Automotive Security Review Board, or ASRB for short. Enlisting “top talent” the world over, the ASRB will focus on promoting the best practices for automakers and continually conduct security tests and audits to help further its goals.

According to Gartner, 150 million autos in 2020 will be Internet-connected, and of those, 60~75% will be capable of “consuming, creating and sharing Web-based data.” That’s proof enough that this kind of research board is needed, although it seems like it could have been used a few years ago as well – since that aforementioned incident with the Jeep Cherokee could have been avoided.

Intel helps set the ASRB off on the right foot with the release of its first whitepaper entitled “Automotive Security Best Practices: Recommendations for Security and Privacy in the Era of the Next-Generation Car”. This whitepaper will be updated as time goes on, and improved practices are discovered.

To promote useful research, Intel has even committed to awarding the researcher who contributes the most significant and impactful contribution with a brand-new car, or cash equivalent. How cool would it be to win a product that your own research helped make significantly better?